Translator: Rachel Toren and Shani Evenstain

Shri Shri Shyama Charan Lahiri Mahasaya was born on the first half of the 13th century according to the Bengali calendar (1828) to a Brahamin family. He was born in Ghurnigram, a village near the city Krishnanagar, in Nadya District, West Bengal. His exact birth date is unknown, since as traditionally customary in his family his horoscope was burnt with his body. When he was a young boy, his family moved to Varanasi. His education was influenced not only by his family tradition, an orthodox Brahamin family, but also from the western educational system, which had spread in India under the English government. He was also spiritually influenced by the Sadhus and the Mahatmas he had met in Varanasi.
 
In 1851, Lahiri Mahasaya started working as an army officer for the English government. He was gradually promoted and reached a high office. During that period of his life, Lahiri Mahasaya had perfectly fulfilled all his worldly duties; he earned his living honorably and was known for his honesty, simplicity, courage, self-discipline and modesty. He had indeed performed his householder’s duties happily, naturally and effortlessly. But his life was about to change; the eternal bond between master and disciple existed between Mahavatar Babaji and him. The great master had gently guided his disciple’s strenuous steps, first as a child and later as a grown man, and when Lahiri turned 33, Babaji decided it was finally time to renew their bond.
 
That following autumn, Lahiri Mahasaya received an unexpected order to move to a new working place called Ranikhet, where the army had planed to build a new base. There, Lahiri lived in a tent. He rapidly finished every assignment he was given, and would then go wonder in the beautiful mountains of the region. The desire to realize the ultimate truth had always burnt in him, and so he was naturally looking for the company of Sadhus and Sanyasis.
 
One day he had heard from one of his assistants that some Sadhus were living on a certain mountain and his curiosity was immediately aroused. One afternoon, while wondering in the mountains looking for Sadhus, he suddenly heard a voice from above calling his name, "Lahiri, Lahiri”. He looked around, looking for the caller, wondering who would call him in that remote location. Wishing to solve that mystery he tried following the voice. After a long, exhausting walk he noticed it was almost sunset hour. Despite feeling some tension within, he kept walking only for the purpose of finding a Sadhu who would help him. Finally he reached a clean, well-preserved cave at the top of that mountain. In it, a tall Sadhu was standing, radiating with holiness and a blissful smile on his face. It seemed as if the holy man was awaiting his arrival. Laughing warmly said the Sadhuji in Hindi, "Shyama Charan, come in, sit down and rest. It was I who called you”.
 
Lahiri Mahasaya was quite surprised to hear his name from this unknown Sadhu. Many thoughts and ideas about the peculiar situation he was in were running through his mind, but a certain inner attraction compelled him to follow the Sadhuji. When he entered the cave, he found some Asanas (pieces of cloth that yogis use for sitting on the floor while practicing meditation), a selection of Kamandalus (holy water-pots used for pouring water) and other accessories monks would use for spiritual worship. Sadhuji pointed towards a certain asana in the cave and asked, "Do you recognize this asana?” Lahiri Mahasaya was truly astounded by that question. The more he looked at Sadhuji’s expression and noble smile, the more the whole experience felt less and less logical to him. Nevertheless, he felt an old sense of attraction and familiarity rising in him towards this unknown place.
 
Then, Sadhuji touched him, and gently embraced his head with deep affection. Suddenly he felt as if he was awakening from a deep sleep. He realized that the place was where he had practiced his Sadhana in his previous life, and the asana was the one he used to practice on in his former life. How familiar was the cave now! And how familiar was the unusual Mahatma standing beside him - he had recognized his Shri Gurudev, Shri Shri Mahavatar Babaji. Instantly, all the memories from his past lives were revealed to him. He could now remember that he was a Sanyasi in his former life, and that while in the presence of Mahavatar Babaji, he went into Samadhi in that very place, and later left his body. Amazed and ecstatic by these memories, he fell to the feet of his Mahavatar Babaji and begged his master to give him shelter again.
 
The calming words of Shri Gurudev had quite relieved him. Suddenly everything became clear to him, and he understood that is was the holy power of Mahavatar Babaji that had made him move so suddenly to Ranikhet.
Remembering now, Lahiri Mahasaya did not want to go back to his present worldly life. But following Mahavatar Babaji’s instructions, he went back to his office in Ranikhet. He started participating in Satsangs that took place in various mountains, sitting at his master’s feet. A combination of medical supervision and a proper diet purified his physical body, making him radiantly healthy. Sadhuji sat him on his old asana and initiated him directly into the rare and precious path of Kriya Yoga Sadhana.
 
While sitting on his sacred asana, Lahiri Mahasaya started experiencing the different stages of Pranayama Kriya Yoga and the most marvelous inner worlds. The world outside, which is bound to the senses, was drowned inwards. His consciousness mounted to the highest levels and he had submerged into Samadhi (the holy trance). How time went by! And at that time, where were his office, his work and his family life? The dust and numbness, which had previously covered his mind, were removed forever. The holy knowledge that was revealed to him was now radiating through him. His initiation to the Truth was completed.
 
When emerging from his Samadhi, he fell to his master’s feet and begged to stay in his sacred presence for eternity. The taste of Sanchitananda and the sense of Brahman had awakened in him the wish to leave his worldly duties for good. But his master, Shri Shri Mahavatar Babaji, embraced him with love and told him that he would still have to fulfill his worldly duties for a few more years. He also said that the Sadhana of Kriya Yoga would spread and reach many people thanks to his presence in the world. Realizing the new responsibility that had been given to him, Lahiri Mahasaya surrendered to his master’s instructions. He then asked his master when he would see him again, and Mahavatar Babaji reassured him and said, "Whenever you think of me, I will be there.”
 
Before leaving the place of his initiation, Lahiri Mahasaya was blessed by the holy men who lived in the caves in that mountain. Lahiri Mahasaya came back to the world after experiencing Nirvikalpa Samadhi and reuniting with his true "self”, which is beyond consciousness and the three Gunas. His mission was to establish the path of Yoga and to remove the darkness from the lives of those who were living in society. He returned, then, to Varanasi, the kingdom of knowledge. Just as a flower cannot repress its fragrance, so Lahiri Mahasaya, living as a perfect householder, was not able to hide that which had been awakened in him. People from all over India were rushing to see him, like bees attracted to honey; they came to drink nectar from this ever-free master.
 
In addition to his spiritual duties and his duties as a householder and a worker, the master was enthusiastically engaged in education. He arranged many study groups and had a main roll in increasing the number of high- schools in Varanasi. These diverse side-activities were Lahiri Mahasaya’s answer to those who challenged him and asked, "After fulfilling our duties as householders, at work and to society, how can we still have time for meditation?” The harmonic, balanced life of this great master, who was also a devoted family man, has inspired thousands yearning hearts. Earning an average salary and always frugal, this unusual yet accessible to everyone master, carried his day-to-day duties naturally and happily. Even though Lahiri Mahasaya was a teacher of the highest level, he treated everyone with respect, no matter their virtues. When his disciples bowed to him, he would bow back at them. With a modesty reserved only for children, he would often touch other people’s feet but only seldom would he let them pay him the same respect [that is despite the fact that bowing before a master or teacher is an old and well-rooted habit in eastern cultures].
 
A significant detail that characterized the life of this universal master is that Lahiri Mahasaya did not make any discrimination between people, regardless their religion, gender or sect - he initiated people from all religions, and among his most important disciples were Moslems and Christians, not only Hindus. He also tried his best to break the borders between the different sects in India, and gave hope to the outcasts who lived in the fringes of society. The great master used to say to his disciples, "Remember, you do not belong to anyone and no one belong to you. Remember that one day you will have to leave everything in this world, so go and arrange a group of people who want to realize God right now. Prepare yourself to the coming journey, the astral inevitable journey toward death. Do it by daily contemplating on the hot-air balloon of the divine perception. Through the veils of Maya you perceive yourself as a pile of flesh and bones, which is but a source of troubles. Meditate constantly so you can be quickly convinced you are an infinite essence, free of any kind of misery, and stop being prisoners of your physical body; use the secrets of Kriya Yoga and escape into the Spirit.”
 
Lahiri Mahasaya encouraged all his disciples to stick to their own religious beliefs according to the traditions they were raised upon. He directed each of them to the right yoga discipline according to their tendencies and guided them into the paths of Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. Lahiri Mahasaya taught his disciples to avoid theoretical arguments over the scriptures, saying that "the wise dedicates his efforts to experience, and is not only satisfied with reading the scriptures.”
 
In 1886, twenty-five years after his initiation at Ranikhet, Lahiri Mahasaya had retired and disciples from all over India kept seeking him. Most of the time, he would sit silently in Padmasana [the Lotus posture], rarely leaving his seat, even to other parts of the house. His physiological situation symbolized the highest level of realization, which is characterized by long breath cessations, lack of sleep, cessations of the pulse, peaceful eyes that do no blink for hours and a halo of deep serenity around him. His visitors always left spiritually elevated, feeling they have received a silent blessing from a truly divine man.
 
The life of Lahiri Mahasaya remains an example, which has changed the mistaken perception of Yoga as a mysterious practice doctrine. He has demonstrated that every man can find his way through Yoga and can understand the right relationship with his true nature. As the Yoga Avatar declared, "There is hope for new people, it is possible to reach the ‘sacred unity’ through Tapas (personal effort), which does not rely on religious belief nor on the arbitrary will of a cosmic headmaster”. By using the Kriya key, people who could not bring themselves to believe in the holiness of anyone, would finely discover the holiness on its greatest glory within themselves."

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